Tuscany Suites
On Flamingo only about two blocks east of the Strip, Tuscany is a more or less down-to-business casino, though it is built around a basic theme of Tuscany. Spacious in general, it is particularly spacious in its poker room, which is apparently "just getting started". Games Limit hold 'em: 3/6, sometimes 4/8 No-limit hold 'em: 1/2 blinds. Only spread occasionally. Game Character: Mostly regular locals, the players while somewhat practiced are also somewhat weak, though there is a tricky player or two who are in the mix. Rake: Standard Vegas rake: 10% rake, max $4. Plus an extra dollar for jackpot rake. Posting: New players need not post. Shuffling: All tables shuffled by hand. Wait Time: Can be anywhere from 0 to 30 minutes or more for a seat. The PA used to announce open seats can be heard throughout the casino, so you can play blackjack while you wait. Tournaments * every day, 10am NLHE $17+5, unlimited $10 rebuys, plus one $10 add-on. * every day, 7pm NLHE $17+5, unlimited $10 rebuys, plus one $10 add-on. All tourneys have 15 minute rounds. start with T1000, initial blinds at 25/50. Tournaments seem to be somewhat big deals here, while cash games are secondary. Jackpots and Promotions Standard fixed high hand jackpots. No bad beat jackpot. Atmosphere This room opened sometime early in 2006 and still feels very "new". It's a large room off to the side of the casino, and is much larger than necessary for the number of tables they have, resulting in a lot of open area and a feeling of wide-open spaces inside. It was formerly a lounge, and still shows it, with a cool stainless-steel bar on one side of the room that is no longer used. Players keep their ashtrays on it for when they step up from the table to smoke. Although separate from the casino, it's still open; it's separated only by half walls and railings. It's still nicely off to the side, though, so the slot machine noise is notably less than it would otherwise be and does not really disturb the poker. Likewise, the smoke from the casino doesn't drift into the room (though the smoke from the players in the room hangs around). There are three largish LCD TV's hung on the wall, and the entire room is done in understated but very nice decor. Nice lighting. Neighborhood: Off strip next to many other off-strip casinos. OK neighborhood. Parking: Plenty of parking. Tables and Chairs: Standard Vegas 10-player tables. Felt is nice, soft felt with good padding. Black vinyl armrests with inset cupholders, light brown felt, no commit line. Player chairs are standard metal-frame fixed-leg chairs with nice black vinyl-covered padding. Smoking: Allowed in the room, but not at the tables. Smokers get up and walk to the fake bar on the side of the room to puff away. Service and Comps Relatively frequent cocktail service by waitresses who are dressed in cute short-skirted costumes. A plate of danishes/donuts in the back of the room appears to be for anyone who wants one. Notes and Links * Visited by MarkT in Nov 2006.